TankBud

Giant Colombian ramshorn

Marisa cornuarietis

FreshwaterSnail

Giant Colombian ramshorn (Marisa cornuarietis)
Elizabeth Barrett / animal.photos · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F
23–27°C
pH
6.5–8.0
Adult size
2 in
5 cm
Minimum tank
5 gal
20 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Egg layer · Medium
Rarity
Common
Family
Ampullariidae
Origin
Central America, South America

Overview

The giant Colombian ramshorn is a peaceful, easy grazing snail for a tank without prized plants. It suits a beginner.

Did you know

The giant Colombian ramshorn has been used in some regions as a biological control agent against pest snails and weeds. That eager appetite is exactly why it has become an invasive problem where it escaped. Never release one into local waters.

Caring for the giant Colombian ramshorn

Keep the giant Colombian ramshorn in a tank of 5 gal (20 L) or larger. It is a peaceful, mostly solitary snail that spends its time working over surfaces on the bottom.

Keep the water warm, at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C), and on the harder side, with a pH of 6.5 to 8.0. Harder water with some mineral content helps keep its shell solid, since soft, acidic water can pit and erode it. Avoid copper-based treatments, which are toxic to snails.

The giant Colombian ramshorn readily eats live aquarium plants, so it suits an algae-control or low-plant tank rather than a planted display. It also eats algae, decaying plant matter and competing snails. Feed it algae wafers, blanched vegetables and leftover food.

It is safe with community fish. You need a male and a female to breed it. It lays gelatinous egg masses under the water surface, not above it like some of its relatives. Breeding is moderate to manage given the right conditions.

Good to know

Marisa cornuarietis is an apple snail in the family Ampullariidae, with a flat, coiled shell. Unlike many pond snails, it has separate sexes rather than being a hermaphrodite.

In the wild

The giant Colombian ramshorn lives in warm, calm waters across Central and South America, from ponds and ditches to slow rivers full of plants. It crawls over surfaces there, grazing on algae and soft vegetation.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The giant Colombian ramshorn is a peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a giant Colombian ramshorn need?

A giant Colombian ramshorn needs at least 5 gal (20 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a giant Colombian ramshorn need?

A giant Colombian ramshorn is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 6.5–8.0.

What does a giant Colombian ramshorn eat?

A giant Colombian ramshorn eats algae, decaying plant matter, live plants and competing snails. Feed it algae wafers, blanched vegetables and leftover food.

How big does a giant Colombian ramshorn get?

An adult giant Colombian ramshorn reaches about 2 in (5 cm).

How does a giant Colombian ramshorn breed?

A giant Colombian ramshorn needs a male and a female to breed, since the sexes are separate. It lays gelatinous egg masses below the water surface. Breeding is moderate to manage in the right conditions.

Related species